Why Founding Prices? The Beta Test Model for Premium Learning
If you’ve looked at the 1-Day Domestic Immersion Course, you may have noticed the pricing:
Planned Standard Price: ¥75,000
Founding Participant Price: ¥48,000
That’s a large difference. It’s reasonable to ask:
“Why is it discounted?”
“What’s the catch?”
Here is the honest answer.
This Program Is in Its Beta Phase
The 1-Day Domestic Immersion is a brand-new format.
I’ve been living in Japan for over 35 years, but this specific structure—a 10-hour, fully one-on-one immersion day—is something I am introducing for the first time.
The curriculum is carefully designed. The schedule is intentional. The materials are prepared in advance.
However, no matter how much experience a teacher has, there are things that can only be discovered by running a program with real students:
- Where learners feel the most cognitive fatigue
- Which activities create the strongest engagement
- How the pacing feels across a full day
- What kind of follow-up support is most useful afterward
That real-world information is what the beta phase is for.
What “Founding Participant” Actually Means
A Founding Participant is not just an early customer.
It means you are participating while the program is still being refined—and that your experience directly influences its final form.
In exchange for the reduced price, I ask for three things:
- Honest feedback after the immersion
- Flexibility, knowing that small adjustments may be made
- Openness to being part of a first-run experience
Your input helps shape what future students will experience.
That role deserves recognition—and a fair price adjustment.
Why I Don’t Call This a “Discount”
I could have labeled this a “launch sale” or “early-bird price.”
I chose not to.
Those terms imply marketing urgency.
This situation is different.
“Founding Participant” reflects reality:
you are joining at the beginning, when the program is still evolving.
This is not about scarcity tactics.
It is about transparency.
What Happens After the Beta Period?
After working with the first group of participants (approximately 10–15 people), I will:
- Review participant feedback in detail
- Refine the schedule, pacing, and materials
- Finalize the program structure
- Set the price at the standard rate of ¥75,000
Founding Participants will always have been part of the program’s foundation.
Is There Any Risk for You?
Yes—there is a small and honest risk.
Because this is a new program, some elements may be adjusted during the day. I may change the order of activities or adapt the pacing based on your energy and needs.
That said, here is what I do guarantee:
- Full commitment: You have my complete attention for the entire 10 hours
- Personalized content: The day is built around your actual language use and mistakes
- Adaptive teaching: If something isn’t effective, I adjust immediately
- Clear value: In terms of total guided interaction time and communicative activity, the day covers material that would normally be spread across approximately 15–20 standard weekly lessons
This is an intensive, focused experience—not a shortcut, and not a promise of instant fluency.
Why I’m Offering It This Way
I could have charged the full price from the beginning. Some instructors do.
Instead, I chose to build this program the same way good educational systems are built:
- Start with a strong design
- Test it with real learners
- Improve it through feedback
- Then finalize it
Trust comes from honesty, not perfection.
A Simple Win-Win
You receive:
- A premium one-day immersion experience at a reduced price
- The opportunity to influence how the program is finalized
- Access to a format not currently offered by other local schools in this area
- A diagnostic session to discover your true English level
I receive:
- Real-world feedback from motivated adult learners
- Insight into pacing, structure, and support needs
- A stronger, better program for future participants
That’s a fair exchange.
Ready to Join as a Founding Participant?
If this approach resonates with you, I would be glad to work with you.
Thank you for considering being part of this from the very beginning.